Stone and Herbert in tight sheriff’s race

A board official said it will take days to determine the winner.

By D.A. WILKINSON

VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU

LISBON — Perry Township Police Chief Ray Stone is the apparent winner in the Republican primary for Columbiana County sheriff. But the decision is far from over.

Stone received 3,107 votes Tuesday, topping two veteran members of the sheriff’s office.

He beat his nearest competitor by five votes, according to complete but unofficial results.

Jerry Herbert, a former sheriff’s office detective, received 3,102 votes as the nearest candidate.

Daniel MacLean received 2,557 votes. He was a former administrator at the county jail.

David Johnson, an elections board member and the head of the county Republican Party, said, the race “is very much alive.”

About 516 votes remain to be counted. The so-called provisional ballots are cast by those who just moved and did not change their address with the board of elections or simply appeared at precincts and asked to vote.

Those provisional votes may also include those who voted twice, such as by absentee ballot and then at the polls.

Those ballots will have to be examined before the total vote is approved.

Johnson said that it will take at least 20 days before the ballots are checked and the issue is resolved.

Stone could not be reached to comment.

Results were delayed during the evening. Precincts in Columbiana and Unity Township were more than three hours late in getting to the board of elections.

Johnson said the precinct workers were late getting to Lisbon because of heavy rains, some of which he said had damaged bridges.

MacLean, who was looking at the vote tallies late in the evening, said, “It’s not looking good.”

Herbert and MacLean entered the race after Sheriff David Smith was arrested for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Smith had already filed to run. He later withdrew from the race and his lawyer recently indicated that Smith plans to enter a plea in the case in Guernsey County.

Johnson did not side with any of the three Republican candidates. The sheriff’s office has been in Republican hands for 60 years.

The winner of the Republican primary will face Leetonia Police Chief John Soldano, a Democrat.

Austin French, a Salem police officer, has filed to run as an independent.

wilkinson@vindy.com